Profiling a Liar
by kalijahrulez
Summary: After the events of A is for Answers, Rosewood PD has brought in some new help. When Spencer Hastings meets Spencer Reid, she thinks maybe she and her friends will finally find peace. And maybe she'll find a little something else, too.
1. A New Case

**Spencer Reid's POV**

"We just got a new case from Rosewood, Pennsylvania. Two years ago fifteen year old Alison Dilaurentis went missing while at a sleepover with her four best friends. Her mother reported her missing when the girls came to her in the morning and told her that they had awoken in the middle of the night and Alison was gone. One year later, on the anniversary of her dissapearnance, her body was found buried under a gazebo that had been under construction when she went missing. A new family had bought the home and was renovating it when workers made the gruesome discovery. From then on, things started to get crazy in Rosewood. Five murders, several accounts of vandalism, shoplifting, tampering with evidence, and the list goes on. Strange thing is, everything that Rosewood PD has points in one direction. Alison's friends. Even stranger, Alison has just turned up alive but she nor her friends are saying anything." Hotchner says, handing each of us case files.

"I remember hearing about this a few months ago. It was on World Wide News. They said they had made an arrest in regards to the murder of Alison Dilaurentis." JJ says, confused.

"If Alison Dilaurentis is alive, then who's body did the find?" I ask, and Hotch shrugs.

"They have no idea. They are currently in the process of trying to I.D. the body. The man who JJ is talking about was Officer Garrett Reynolds. He was released soon after his arrest when it became known that the evidence had been tampered with. He was found dead around Halloween." Hotchner explains, and Rossi shakes his head.

"Knock, knock. I have the info you wanted about the girls." Penelope says, walking in with a handful of papers.

"Go on." Hotchner permits, and she begins.

"First, Alison Dilaurentis. Was believed to be dead as you know but recently resurfaced. She is seventeen years old. According to information I got from social media sites, school records, and official reports it appears Alison was a bright kid, good grades in school, had lots of friends and was very popular, but was also a bit of a mean girl. This one kid, Lucas, said on his Facebook page that "being dead doesn't make you a saint. Just because you were murdered, doesn't mean everyone is going to forget how you bullied everyone and pushed your friends around. Burn in hell, bitch." She tells us, and everyone's eyes widen slightly.

"Why would you say that about a dead girl?" Prentiss asks, and we all just shake our heads.

"Now her friends. I realize you guys are in a hurry so I'll make this quick. Aria Monatgomery is eighteen years old, her parents are divorced, she lives with her dad, she is a senior, has one younger brother, and she is really into art judging by her social media life. Hanna Marin is 17, fairly good grades in school, parents are also divorced, she lives with her mom, has no siblings except a step-sister because of her father re-marrying, and she is a senior. Emily Fields is the star of the swim team at Rosewood High, eighteen years old, no siblings, comes from a military family, gets good grades, also she is lesbian. Last but certainly not least, Spencer Hastings is eighteen years old. She is extremely smart, has an above average IQ, overachiever, her resume includes several internships, mostly for the mayor, and a number of charity contributions. She is also a member of every academic club at Rosewood High. She comes from a very wealthy family, and has one sibling, an older sister." She finishes, and I find this Spencer girl kind of interesting.

"Another braniac named Spencer. Who would've guessed?" Morgan says, hitting me on the shoulder playfully.

"Okay, guys. We can get filled in on all of the actual crimes and accusations on the plane. We've gotta go." Hotchner says, and we all get up to leave.

**Spencer Hastings's POV**

"There's something you're not telling us. I can see it all over your face." Detective Holbrook says, watching me carefully from across the interrogation room.

"I have told you everything I know. Alison faked her death to get away from whoever tried to kill her, the same person who shot Ezra. I have only known about her being alive for a week. She came to us because she thought that together the five of us could figure out who wanted her dead. We have no idea who it is. None of us got a good look at the person because they were wearing a mask." I tell him for the hundredth time.

"You see, that story just seems a little rehearsed to me. Your friends gave almost the exact same story when I interrogated them." He tells me, and I just stare back at him blankly for a moment.

"Am I being charged with anything?" I ask, and he seems a little defeated.

"No, Ms. Hastings. You're not." He informs me, and I smile at him as I stand up.

"Then I demand to be released. Where is my mother?" I ask, and he lets out a sigh as he leaves the room.

I sit there waiting for my mother, my head spinning after everything that happened tonight. Ezra survived, but he is in critical condition. Aria is a mess. They have been questioning us for hours, especially Alison. Looks like she's gonna have no choice but to come home. The strange thing is, they haven't been able to locate her mother since we arrived. Jason is on his way back to Rosewood right now.

"Spencer, come on. We're going home and you can explain everything to me." My mother says, her expression a mix of relief and annoyance.

I follow her out silently. As we walk through the police station I notice Aria sitting with her mother crying. I start to walk to her but my mother grabs my arm and tells me I can see my friends later. We are about to walk out when Holbrook stops us.

"I just want to let you know that we'll be bringing in some extra help. A team of FBI agents from the BAU is coming here from D.C. They'll arrive tomorrow. They have been assigned to this case. Rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this." He promises, before walking away.

I look at my mother and she looks back at me. Neither of us are sure how to take this news.

**A/N: So, this is my first shot at a PLL/CM crossover. I really like the Spencer/Spencer pairing. I think it's cool how they have the same name and are both super smart. I think they would be good together. I know this chapter wasn't very eventful, but I assure you the next will be. This chapter was just about getting the BAU to Rosewood and giving you all an idea about what point in PLL I will begin writing from. Please let me know what you think of this story so far! (:**


	2. Spencer Meets Spencer

**The next day...**

**Spencer Reid's POV**

"Hello, agents. I am Detective Holbrook and I am the lead investigator on this case. We really appreciate you coming down. Follow me and I will direct you to the conference room." Holbrook tells us just as we walk into the police station.

We arrived in Rosewood one hour ago. After taking our things to a motel we came straight to the police station where Detective Holbrook was waiting for us. Morgan, Prentiss, JJ, Hotch, Rossi and I follow him into a large room where pictures of several different people are pinned to a bulletin board. I notice from the files we were given to look through on the plane that most of the pictures are of the five girls everyone is so sure are guilty of _something._

"Detective, when will we be able to interview the suspects?" Hotch asks as we all take a seat.

"I was waiting for you to get here so I could ask if you would rather interview them here or at their homes." Holbrook informs us and we all look to Hotch for an answer.

"First, tell us what you know about the girls' behavior." Hotch replies and Holbrook seems confused.

"Why?" He asks, crinkling his brows a little.

"It will give us a better understanding of their preferences. Whether they would be more comfortable coming here or letting us into their homes. The more comfortable they are the more they will open up." I offer and Holbrook nods.

"Well, I only know one of them personally..." He begins but Hotch stops him mid-sentence.

"What do you mean you know one of them personally? Officers of the law are not supposed to be involved in personal cases because it could cloud their judgment." Hotch explains to him but Holbrook shakes his head.

"I have socialized with Hanna Marin on a few occasions but I wouldn't go so far as to call us friends. As for their behavior, Emily is shy. She's the nicest of the group and has been the most cooperative during our investigations. Hanna I know better than the others, as you know. She is opinionated and bluntly outspoken. She hates the police, with the exception of me. She has trust issues and it is actually mostly Rosewood PD's fault. Officer Wilden was a crooked cop who liked to hassle and bully her. Aria Montgomery is quiet and semi-cooperative. I actually don't know much more than that about her. Spencer Hastings will be the toughest to crack. At just 18 years old, she can outsmart most of our officers. She avoids answering personal questions and she will often flip the script on you. She is highly confident but does at times show weakness. When you mention Emily, Hanna, Aria, or Alison... She gets _very_ protective. Alison, I don't know much about. I have only interviewed her once since she returned to town two days ago. Overall, they are all very secretive." He tells us and Hotch nods approvingly.

"We will interview them at their homes. Reid and Morgan will take Spencer, Prentiss will take Emily, JJ will take Hanna, Rossi will take Aria, and I will take Alison." Hotch orders.

We all relieve addresses from Holbrook and disperse.

**Spencer Hastings's POV**

I fall back onto my bed and let out a loud sigh. I have been pacing around my room for the better part of an hour. My mom took my phone when we got home last night so that I can't talk to my friends. She thinks it would be smart for me to just lay low for a while. Does she not understand that my friends are my whole life? I decide it is time to get out of my pajamas, seeing as it is three in the afternoon so I walk over to my closet. I pick out a white frilly blouse, light blue skinny jeans, and brown ankle boots. Once I am dressed I style my hair into loose curls and allow it to fall freely around my shoulders and down my back. I apply very light make-up and put on the necklace that Toby had bought me earlier this week. I haven't seen or heard from him since before everything happened two days ago. I am in the middle of debating the best way to sneak out of the house when I hear my mom yelling for me. I walk downstairs and she is there waiting for me at the bottom; an apologetic expression on her face.

"Spencer, there are two FBI agents here to speak to you." She tells me and I follow her into the living room.

"Spencer Hastings. I am Agent Morgan and this is Dr. Reid." The African American male tells me, and I immediately recognize the second man.

"Dr. Spencer Reid. I recognize you from the internet. I'm kind of a fan of your work. Particularly your Psych journals." I tell him, smiling.

"Thank you. They're my favorites to write." He says, smiling back at me.

"You're welcome. So, what do you guys wanna know?" I ask, and Morgan speaks up.

"We want to talk to you about your involvement in Alison Dilaurentis faking her death." He answers, and I nod as I take a seat.

"Well, I wasn't exactly involved. I didn't know that she was alive until about two weeks ago. Hanna, Aria, Emily, and I began to suspect she wasn't dead, despite the fact that we had gone to her funeral and memorial service. We knew that Alison had connections in Ravenswood, so we decided to go there first. While we were there we came across an old lady who told us she knew for a fact that Alison was still alive but warned us that we needed to get out of town quickly. She said that we were being watched. The person who was watching us was hoping that we would lead him to Alison. This man wanted her dead and that's why she faked her death; to escape him. She said that if we cared about Alison and wanted to protect her, we would give up on her. Go back home, live our lives, and just let her be a memory. But we couldn't do that, so the plan was to find Alison before he did. She wasn't at the party and whoever was after her had attacked me. He was dressed as a miner and I didn't see his face, but he knocked me unconscious. Hanna got separated from us and whoever that man was, he locked her in this old phone booth. Eventually Hanna got out and found her way back to us. When we all found each other, we decided we needed to leave before one of us wound up dead. That's when we found Alison." I tell them, and they look a little confused.

"Wait. If you knew Alison might still be alive, don't you think that's something you should have told the police?" Dr. Reid asks, and I laugh bitterly.

"I wouldn't trust Rosewood PD if my life depended on it, and it has on several different occasions. Holbrook is the first officer that has ever actually wanted to help us. Detective Wilden was supposed to solve Ali's murder but instead he tried to pin it on us, then he burned down a lodge with us in it, he threatened all of us on several occasions and he drugged Aria on Halloween and tried to throw her out of a moving train after he locked her inside a wooden crate." I explain to him, and he nods in understanding.

"You need to know that we're not like that. We're good guys and our intentions are strictly to help those who need our help and to finally give this town peace." Morgan says, and I find myself wanting to believe that.

"As great as that sounds, I don't think this town will ever know peace again." I tell him, not wanting to get my hopes up.

"Spencer, can you tell us what you know about the deaths of Ian Thomas, Garrett Reynolds, and Detective Wilden?" Reid asks, and I take a mometn to consider.

I am trying to avoid telling them anything that might lead them to suspect I am keeping secrets. I am only telling them what it won't hurt to tell them. They can't know that A is still tormenting us, but they have to know that someone is after Alison so they can protect her. They can't know about Red Coat or Mona's involvement in all of this. As much as I hate the bitch, knowing what Ezra did to her makes me feel a little sorry for her. I don't say anything about Shana because she is Alison's friend and since I am still unclear about whether or not Jenna is an enemy, I leave her out, too. I leave my sister out for obvious reasons.

"Ian was my brother-in-law and I was terrified of him. He was in college before Alison went missing and they had a relationship, but we had no idea. We found a video, which I'm sure you've seen by now, that made me believe he had something to do with her death. I made my fears known to my mother, but she always sided with him... Until he tried to kill me. I got him alone in the church. I confronted him with a copy of the video on a flashdrive. He chased me to the bell tower. He grabbed me and pushed me off the edge, but I caught myself. He was trying to get me to let go so I'd fall but all of a sudden someone approached him. I couldn't see their face because they were wearing a hood and it was dark. He looked surprised and asked what they were doing there, but they pushed him off before walking away. I had no idea why someone would want to save me and then not even show their face until two days ago... It was Alison. She didn't kill him, though. She saw him get away, but a few days later he showed up dead. At first it was ruled a suicide, but since you just called it a murder I guess they've changed their minds." I tell them, and they look at me with sympathy and confusion.

"I thought Alison was hiding in Ravenswood. How did she know you were in danger?" Morgan asks, and I smile.

"Alison was like our guardian angel. She was gone, but still there. She checked in on us constantly, watching us from a distance. Protecting us without ever being seen. There were many times when we were trying to figure out what happened to her that we would find ourselves in danger. Every time it seemed like there was no help for us, but we would make it, and it was because of her." I explain, and they seem impressed.

"Does Alison have any idea who is after her?" He asks, and I shake my head.

I decide not to tell them about her mother burying her. Alison may not want them to know.

"Most of this town wanted to see her gone. She wasn't the nicest person before she went missing. We were her only real friends for a reason." I say, and they nod.

"Well, then... Tell us about Wilden and Garrett." Morgan says, and I nod.

"Wilden tormented us constantly. He was a bully. He tried to pin Alison's murder on us and he acted like he had a lot to hide. I wasn't surprised that he ended up the way he did. No one who knew him really liked him. He had a lot of enemies. Garrett... He was my friend, or at least I thought he was. He acted like he wanted to help us and we trusted him. Then we found out he was in a relationship with Jenna Marshall, who had a grudge against us for things that happened in the past. So, we decided not to confide in him anymore. Then he was arrested for Alison's murder. He tried to get me to believe he was innocent, but I didn't. Then he was released and he cornered me on the Ghost Train on Halloween. He told me that he wanted to tell me everything. He was sorry and he told me that out of everyone, I was the person he most wanted to keep safe. I told him to prove it. I wanted to believe him, to trust him, but I had my guard up. I went to get the girls but then Aria was missing. We found her in that crate but she wasn't alone. Between me leaving him to find the girl's and Aria being kidnapped, someone had killed Garrett and put his body in the crate." I say, looking sadly at the floor.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Spencer. You might not have been sure if you could trust him, but you cared about him. I know how it feels to lose someone you're close to." Morgan offers, and I give him a small smile.

"I think that's enough for now. We don't want to overwhelm you. We'll be going now." Reid says, standing to leave.

"Wait. Um, Dr. Reid... Do you think we could meet up some time and talk about your work? I'm very interested in Psychology." I tell him, and he smiles.

"Of course. Give me a call." He says, handing me a card.

I smile at them as they leave. I take a deep breath and head back upstairs. I need to find a way to talk to my friends.

**A/N: So, there's chapter two. The next chapter Reid and Spencer will have a very interesting lunch... (:**


	3. A Meeting

**Spencer Hasting's POV**

I decide to walk to my meeting with Dr. Reid rather than drive. God only knows when the next time my mom lets me out of her sight will be, so I am enjoying this time. I am dressed casually. I am wearing knee high black boots with grey skinny jeans and a black blouse. My hair is pulled into a side pony and I am wearing light make-up. I walk into the coffee shop and my eyes land on him instantly. His back is turned to me, but I know it's him.

"Dr. Reid?" I ask shyly, approaching him from behind.

"Spencer, hi. Right on time." He acknowledges and I take the seat he offers me.

"So, um, how are you liking Rosewood? I mean, aside from the investigation." I ask, and he smiles.

"It's actually not that bad." He lies, and I see through him.

"And by that you mean it's awful. You don't have to lie." I tell him, and he laughs slightly.

"I guess I'm not the only one who knows how to read people." He says, and I nod.

"Well, it's hard for me to know how I can and can't trust, so I've gotten pretty good at it. For instance, you've agreed to meet with me to discuss your work but we both know you really want to discuss my involvement with Alison Dilaurentis and the events surrounding her fake death, her disappearance, and her return." I say, and he seems a little caught off guard.

"Okay, I admit it. You're right, but I also know that you are just pretending you want to discuss my work when all you really want to discuss is how much I know about you and your friends while trying to figure out whether you can be honest with me." He shoots back, and I smile at him.

"You're mostly right, though I wasn't lying about your work. I have everything you have ever published saved on my computer at home. You probably hear this a lot, but you're a genius." I offer, and he smiles back at me.

"From what I've learned you're a bit of a genius yourself." He tells me, and I shrug my shoulders.

"A bit. So, how about we play a little game. You can ask me a question and in return I get to ask you a question." I suggest, and I can see the gears turning in his head.

"Fine. Seems fair. So, Spencer, was everything you told Agent Morgan and I the truth?" He asks, and I nod.

"Yes, now it's my turn. Have you ever... How do I put this? Screwed someone over when you were supposed to be helping them because someone offered you cash or blackmailed you?" I ask, and he seems a little surprised by my question.

"No, I'm not that kind of person. Why would you even ask that?" He asks, and I look at him seriously.

"Because that's the kind of law enforcement I'm used to. Rosewood PD is a joke. Or at least all of the officers I have come across are. They're just a bunch of phonies who were given badges and guns and told to protect the town but instead only look out for themselves." I explain, and he nods.

"Well I can promise you I will not let you or your friends down. If you have done no wrong, then I am on your side." He reassures me, and I meet his eyes.

"Do you think that I'm innocent of whatever it is these idiot police think I'm guilty of?" I ask, and he smiles.

"I'm afraid it's too early to answer that honestly. No offense." He says, and I smile.

"Good. If you had said yes, I would have questioned that whole 'genius' thing." I tell him, and he smiles back at me.

"So, do you trust me?" He asks, and I take a moment to consider his question.

"If we're being honest, I'm still not sure. You seem honest, but so did Garrett. Of all the people who have betrayed my friends and I over the last two years, his betrayal hurt the most. I put all of my trust in him, told him everything I knew, believed in him, let him in my life, let him convince me that he was on our side, on _my_ side, and it all blew up in my face. So, I can't trust you after just two conversations." I admit, and he nods.

Over the next ten minutes we discuss his work and I tell him about the different colleges I'm considering. I find that it is very easy to talk to him and I hope that he will prove to be as honest as he seems.

**Spencer Reid's POV**

I sit quietly and observe as Spencer thanks the waitress for our coffee and pays for hers. There is something about this girl that I find intriguing. I can't quite put my finger on it, which is driving me crazy. I am so used to being able to read people and figuring things out easily, but this girl... She's different. I keep having to remind myself that she is a suspect and not a friend. She just makes it so hard when she smiles at me.

"Well, thank you for meeting with me." She says, extending a hand.

"No problem. If you ever want to talk, or if you know something you think could help us with the case, just call." I tell her, shaking her hand.

We exchange goodbyes and I turn to leave the coffee shop. I wait until I get to my car to pull the wires out of my jacket. I feel awful about wearing a wire to our meeting, but Hotch insisted. As of right now, Spencer Hastings is a suspect and any information she gives me must be shared with the team. However, she didn't really give me anything, which makes me feel worse. She opened up to me, just a little, just for a moment, about Garrett and I can't help but feel I betrayed her by letting the team listen. I just have to keep reminding myself that I am here to do a job, not become friends with one of the suspects. Even if this particular suspect is one of the most interesting people I've ever met and has a smile that makes my heart stop.


	4. What To Do

**Spencer Hasting's POV**

"Mom, please. I'll be gone an hour tops! I haven't seen my friends in three days!" I yell, growing increasingly frustrated.

"Fine. I will give you one hour, but you had better be home by eight and keep your phone on you at all times in case I need to get in touch with you." My mother says, giving in and handing me my phone.

I take it from her with a smile and grab my keys. Finally! I honestly thought I was going to have to fight her on it for a lot longer than I did. I get in my car and make my way to Hanna's where she, Emily, Aria, and Alison are waiting for me. Apparently they are under just as tight of a leash as I am with their parents. It took us all day to be able to get this brief meeting. There is so much that we need to discuss. I pull up at Hanna's and practically run to her door. She answers after one knock and throws her arms around me.

"I am so glad you're here. We can't let them keep us apart for so long again." Aria says, and I smile as I hug her.

"Well, my mom gave me one hour. I have to be home by eight." I inform them, and they nod.

"Yeah, my mom gave me an hour and a half and handed me a can of pepper spray." Emily says with a small laugh.

"Ali... Has there been any word about your mom?" I ask, and she shakes her head slowly.

"I'm starting to think the coward ran as soon as they told her they were bringing us in." Alison replies somewhat bitterly.

"Yeah, that or A is tying up their loose ends." Hanna chimes in and I hit her gently in the arm.

"What? Like that thought hasn't occurred to you? Think about it, Mrs. D. is the only person who knows who tried to kill Ali, she buried Ali alive to cover for this monster. It makes sense that as soon as the walls began to close in on he or she, they decided to take out the people who know who he or she is. Ezra is in a coma and Mrs. D. has suddenly vanished." Hanna explains and she's right.

"Hanna, I don't think Ali wants to hear this..." Emily starts, always ready to protect Alison.

"She's right. I know you're all thinking it and I agree. It would be the smartest thing for A to do." Alison whispers, and Emily wraps an arm around Alison's shoulders as Alison leans into her.

"Change of subject. What did you guys tell those FBI agents?" I ask, and Alison seems to appreciate the change in conversation.

"All I said was that Alison reached out to us a couple weeks ago and told us she needed our help and of course we helped her. I didn't mention A or Alison's mom. I told them it was Paige who wrote that note behind our backs and I didn't see who shot Ezra because the shooter was wearing a mask. I didn't mention Jenna or Shauna. When they asked about Wilden I said that I didn't know who killed him, but he was a bully and probably deserved it. I didn't mention Mona, either." Emily answered, and Hanna pretty much says the same thing.

"I didn't tell them about my mom. I just said two years ago I was walking back to my house from Spencer's barn and someone hit me from behind. I woke up in the dirt and pulled myself out. I told them I had been receiving threatening texts and feared for my life so I ran away. I told them I have no idea who's body that was that they found and thought was me. I said I thought I had figured out who had tried to kill me so I reached out to you guys, but I was wrong. We were attacked by someone in a mask, Ezra showed up and was shot." Alison says.

"I told them the same thing as Emily, except I also told them about Garrett. They asked why we had so much trouble trusting the police so I told them about how Wilden harassed us and Garrett pretended to be a friend but was really an enemy. I told them not to trust Rosewood PD." I tell them, and they all nod.

After a moment, we all look to Aria. She looks down and refuses to meet our eyes. We can tell that something is wrong.

"Aria? What did you tell them?" Hanna asks, and Aria finally looks up.

"Nothing. The same as you guys. I'm just... I'm sorry, I have a lot on my mind." She tries, and I make my way over to her.

"How is Ezra? Have the doctors said anything else?" I ask, and a tear escapes her eye.

"He's still unresponsive." She manages, her voice cracking a little.

"I'm so sorry, Aria." Alison offers, and all Aria can do is nod to her.

"We need to discuss a game plan. We can't just sit around and wait for A to make the next move." Emily reminds us, and I run my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"Yeah, Em's right. But there's not much we can do while we're under constant supervision. If it's not our parents watching us like hawks it's the FBI. Hanna, have you talked to Holbrook?" I ask, and her eyes widen a little.

"What? No, why would I? Why would you even think that I have?" She asks, and subtlety is definitely not her strong suit.

"Um, because you two are practically friends now and you have that weird connection thing going on. Come on, Han. Even I know that and I haven't even been around much." Alison tells her, trying to hide the smirk that's forming on her lips.

"There is no connection. I don't know what you're talking about. I like Travis. Gabe is too old for me and he's a detective who has been assigned to our case." Hanna attempts to explain, but no one in the room is buying it, not even her.

"Whatever you say, Hanna. So, speaking of... I kind of met with one of the FBI agents assigned to our case yesterday for coffee. I didn't tell him anything, don't worry. I was just trying to see if we could trust him and I think maybe we can." I tell them, and I can see them all tense.

"Yeah, you mean like we trusted Garrett? Spenc, please tell me you're not seeing this agent again." Emily says, looking at me worriedly.

"No, I won't see him again." I lie, and she seems to calm down.

We decide to focus on what to do about A for the remainder of the hour. Everyone makes suggestions, but none that we can actually use. The more we talk, the more I realize that we may really be in over our heads. I'm not going to say anything to my friends, but I actually think Dr. Reid and his team could help us.

**A/N: So, I know Reid wasn't in this chapter, but he will be in the next chapter, I promise. I know where I want this story to go and the next couple chapters will just be me trying to get there. The girls are going to have to realize that the best thing to do is let someone help them, but not just anyone, the BAU. Reviews would be amazing. (:**


	5. Forbidden Friendship

_"Well, thank you for meeting with me."_

_"No problem. If you ever want to talk, or if you know something you think could help us with the case, just call."_

As the recording finishes, I press stop on the recorder.

"Well, this was a bust. We didn't find out anything and we completely violated a teenage girl's privacy." JJ says, leaning back in her chair.

"I feel awful for doing that." I say quietly, almost whispering.

"Don't. These girls are suspects and we need to find out as much as possible about them. Reid, do you think you could talk to Spencer again?" Hotch asks, and I simply nod.

"Spenc, these girls are either criminals who need to be brought down or they are victims who are in need of our protection. Either way, we need to remain close to them. If violating their privacy brings them to justice or saves their lives, that's just what we gotta do." Morgan explains, looking back and forth between JJ and I.

"Fine, but I don't feel comfortable recording our conversations. What if she tells me something personal that has nothing to do with the case? I would feel like I had crossed the line. Can I just talk to her privately and tell you guys if she says anything important?" I ask hopefully.

"Okay, but on one condition. You only meet with her in public places. You do not go to her house. We don't know yet whether she is a victim or a criminal. She could be dangerous." Hotch says, and I smile at him in appreciation.

"I promise. Public places only." I tell him, and he nods to me.

Thirty minutes later I am walking toward the coffee shop that I had met Spencer in when something catches my eye. I quickly duck behind the side of a building as I spot Hanna Marin talking to Holbrook less than ten feet away from me. I can hear their conversation and as I peek a look at them I begin to think that Holbrook wasn't very honest about how well he knows her.

"I thought that we were friends. I thought that I could trust you, Gabe. I guess you're just like every other dirty cop in Rosewood." Hanna hisses, trying to walk away but he grabs her arm gently.

"Hanna, please. We are friends and I care about you. You know you can trust me! I don't think you're guilty of anything, but I'm the only one. The others, well... They don't see things my way. Everything is black and white to them. You are connected to so many different cases so in their eyes you have to be guilty of something. It wasn't my idea to bring in the BAU and there's nothing I can do about it, but maybe this is a good thing. Maybe they can help. You've gotta trust me." He begs, and her expression softens.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm just still freaked out about everything that happened in New York. Actually, I think I'm still freaked out about everything that's happened in the last two years. It's not easy for me to trust people, but I do trust you." She tells him and he smiles admiringly at her.

They stand there staring into each other's eyes for a moment and I notice how close their faces are. I decide this is the right time for me to make myself known. I step out from the side of the building and act surprised as I call out his name.

"Officer Holbrook!" I semi-yell as I approach them, smiling friendly.

I see them jerk away from each other suddenly, putting some distance between them.

"Dr. Reid, have you met Hanna Marin? Hanna, Dr. Reid is one of the BAU agents." Holbrook explains nervously, and Hanna shoots me a not-so-subtle glare.

"No, we haven't met, but I've heard a lot about him. Spencer is a huge fan. She seems to think he might be able to help us." She says, forcing a smile.

"Well I will certainly do what I can. I didn't realize you two were friends." I tell them, and they both tense up a little but try to play it cool.

"We're not. We were just discussing the case. Gab... I mean _Officer Holbrook_ was just telling me that he had some follow up questions about the summer Alison went missing and I told him I had already told you guys everything." Hanna explains, completely unaware that I had heard them talking.

"So, how is Alison? I imagine it would be hard to come back to a town where everyone believed you were dead." I ask, and she seems a little upset by my asking.

"She's holding it together the best she can. It would help if you would try a little harder to find her mom." She snaps, and Holbrook steps in.

"Hanna, I assure you Rosewood PD and the BAU are doing everything we can to find Mrs. Dilaurentis. It won't be long now." He tells her, and she smiles slightly at him.

"I truly am sorry for everything you and your friends are dealing with. I just hope that we can help." I offer, and her expression softens just a little.

"I hope so, too. Spencer seems really interested in you and she actually thinks you can help us, but we're used to disappointment, so..." She starts, but I cut her off.

"You won't be disappointed. We're going to catch the guy that's after your friend." I promise her, and she smiles sadly.

"Yeah, well good luck. But it's gonna take a lot more than catching the bad guy for us to feel safe again. It was nice meeting you, Dr. Reid. I have to go meet Spencer at The Brew." She says, nodding politely to Holbrook as she leaves.

I say goodbye to Holbrook and make my way to The Brew.

**A/N: I know this chapter didn't have a lot going on, but it was this or nothing. I wasn't gonna update til later in the week but when I saw a certain Guest review I just had to update. (: Next update will come in a couple days.**


	6. Hot for Doctor

_"Come on, Hanna. Where the hell are you?" _I think to myself as I sit waiting at The Brew. She's fifteen minutes late and I'm getting impatient.

"Sorry I'm late. I got held up talking to Gabe, who swears he had nothing to do with the BAU being brought in, and then we got interrupter by that scrawny agent you have a crush on." Hanna explains, taking a seat across from me.

"I do not have a crush on him. I'm with Toby." I tell her, and she flashes me a little smirk.

"Yeah, when's the last time you saw him? When's the last time _anyone_ saw him?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"What are you suggesting?" I ask, but I already know what she's going to say.

"I'm suggesting that you and Toby are growing apart and it's obvious that you wanna get to know the Doctor." She answers, and I hear a _ding _signalling that someone has just entered the cafe.

"Speaking of..." I say, my eyes landing on the young, handsome agent.

"What? Is he following us now?" Hanna asks, glancing at him before looking back to me in annoyance.

"No, Hanna. This is where we met up. He probably just likes the coffee." I tell her and she smiles.

"Or maybe he's here because I mentioned to Gabe that I was meeting you here." She suggests and I roll my eyes at her.

"Stop it, Hanna. I'm just gonna go talk to him." I tell her, and I don't miss the knowing look in her eyes.

* * *

"Dr. Reid?" I ask, approaching him from behind.

"Spencer, hey!" He says turning around, seemingly surprised to see me.

"So I take it you like the coffee?" I ask, smiling at him.

"Yeah. I do. Thanks for showing me this place." He says, returning my smile.

"So, how's the investigation? Found any dirt on us yet?" I ask, knowing that he can't give out information.

"Um, I can't really discuss that... but I do have a few more questions for you. I mean, if you're not busy." He tells me, and I shrug my shoulders.

"I can spare you a minute or two. What do you wanna know?" I ask, taking a seat next to him.

"Can you tell me where your sister was the night that Alison dissapeared?" He asks, and I lean forward slightly.

"Do you think my sister had something to do with Alison being attacked?" I ask, and he shakes his heaf.

"She isn't a suspect right now, but talking to people around town, we've gathered that they weren't on the best terms. We're looking into anyone who might have had a grudge against Alison." He explains, and I relax a little.

"It's no secret that my sister hated Alison, she still does. She blames Alison for everything that's gone wrong in my life. She especially hates her because she thinks it was somehow Ali's fault that I got hooked on drugs that summer, which it wasn't. Alison was also seeing Melissa's boyfriend behind Melissa's back. So yes, Melissa absolutely hates Alison and she always has, but I know my sister. She would never try to kill anyone." I tell him, and he seems semi-satisfied with my answer.

"One more thing..." He starts, but is cut off when Shauna approaches us.

"Where's Alison? I need to see her." She asks, and I shake my head.

"I haven't seen her today. Why?" I ask, and she glances over at Dr. Reid.

"Never mind. When you talk to her, tell her to call me asap." She says, walking away.

"Um, who was she?" Reid asks, watching with suspicion as Shauna leaves.

"Shauna. She and Ali have been friends since they were three. She moved here about a year ago." I tell him, and he nods.

"So, I just have one more question. Why didn't you or your friends mention 'A' to us?" He asks, and my eyes widen slightly.

"Well, we didn't think it was relevant to the investigation. I mean, Mona's better now. She hasn't bothered us since she went to Radley." I explain, trying to keep my fingers from shaking.

"Mona tormented you and your friends because of the way Alison treated her, right? That's what she told the police." He inquires, and I nod.

"Yeah. She hated Alison because Alison made her life hell, and when Alison disappeared Mona took her spot as the It Girl of Rosewood High. She wanted Alison's life. She wanted to be popular. I guess when Alison's "body" was found, it triggered something in her. Suddenly Alison was a big deal again and Mona took her anger out on us, Ali's best friends. I mean, we didn't exactly stand up to Alison. We just stood by an laughed whenever she would bully Mona. We were so scared that Ali would kick us to the curb if we tried to stop her, and then our lives would be hell." I tell him, looking down at my shoes.

"You don't have to be ashamed, Spencer. People make mistakes and being scared of rejection is a common fear. Look, we have a few people who are of special interest. Mona is at the top of our list. I probably shouldn't be telling you that, but I care about you. I just wanted you to know so you'd be careful around her." He says, and I can feel myself blush slightly.

"Well, thank you for looking out for me. I should probably get back to Hanna, so I'll see you later?" I ask, and he smiles.

"I'll see you later." He agrees, and I walk back to Hanna with a huge smile.

"Oh my God, I was right. You're totally crushing on him." She gushes, and I roll my eyes.

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait, life is crazy right now. Anyway, next chapter things are going to start moving pretty fast. Lots of action coming up. I will be incorporating some of the things from the PLL season 5 into this story, but for the most part it will be all me. Next chapter will have Reid and Morgan following Mona and seeing a few things that catch their interest. Spencer and the girls will receive an especially chilling text from A that will have them running to Ravenswood with Morgan and Reid close behind.**


	7. Destination Ravenswood

**Spencer Hasting's POV**

"Mom, I am fine. I don't need to arm myself every time I leave the house." I argue, crossing my arms as I watch my mother put a pocket knife in my purse.

"Well, I will feel a lot better about letting you out if I know that you have some way of protecting yourself." She tries, and I give her a sympathetic smile as I move to hug her.

"Thank you, mom. For everything. Your patience, your understanding... Just... thank you." I tell her, and she smiles back at me as we let go of each other.

"Be careful, honey." She says, heading back into the living room.

I grab my keys from the kitchen counter and head outside. I am almost to my car when I hear Jason yelling for me.

"Spencer, wait up!" He yells, jogging over to me.

"So, you're talking to me now?" I ask, a little more bitterly than I had intended.

"Look, I'm sorry about my behavior lately. I've just been on edge. With the whole rehab incident, finding out Ali's alive, my mother thinking that you were out to get us, and now I can't even find her... I guess I just want to apologize. No matter what differences we may have, we're family. You're my little sister and despite my recent behavior, I do want you in my life." He tells me, and I'm surprised by his sudden change of attitude.

"Thank you for that. I want you in my life, too. I never tried to hurt your family, Jason. I swear. Ali was... **_is_** my best friend and even though we fight, and maybe hate each other at times, I love her and I always will. I never tried to hurt her." I promise him, and he smiles at me.

"I guess part of me always knew that, but my mom... She was so insistent. She had it in her mind that no Hastings would ever really be a friend to a Dilaurentis." He explains, and I nod.

"Yeah, Melissa feels the exact same way. The way she talks, it's like we're supposed to be mortal enemies or something. But, on a different note... You really have no idea where your mom could be?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

"Not a clue. I've already tried everything I could think of to reach her. It's like she doesn't want to be found and my family's freaking out. Well, except Ali. It's weird. She seems so happy to be back with my dad and I, but when we mention my mom she just looks distant, like she doesn't want to find her. I keep telling myself it's just because she's been through so much. Her head must be a little crazy right now." He says, and it kills me that I can't help him.

We small talk for a minute before hugging and exchanging goodbyes. I get in my car and just as I am about to crank it, Alison's face pops up in my window.

"Jesus, Ali you scared the hell out of me!" I yell as she walks around the car and gets in the passenger seat.

"We need to talk. All of us." She says seriously.

"Okay... We can go to the Brew. I'll text the girls." I tell her, no questions asked.

* * *

"So, Hanna tells me you've got a little crush on one of those FBI guys." Alison says, looking casually out the window.

"What? No, I do not. Hanna has this crazy **_theory_** that I have a little crush on one of those FBI guys."I inform her, but she just laughs.

"Relax, Spenc. No one's judging you. Except maybe Toby of he finds out." She smirks, and my heart sinks a little.

"Toby's not going to find out because it isn't true. Dr. Reid and I just have a few things in common and I am using that to try to get close to him so he'll trust me enough to let me in on a few things. For instance, he has informed me that Mona is their main suspect." I tell her, and this time her laugh oozes bitterness.

"It's not Mona. The bitch is crazy, no doubt. But this isn't her doing. There's someone above her." She says, and I can't help but agree with her.

We pull up to the Brew and as soon as we get out my eyes land on the very handsome Dr. Reid. He is standing outside the Brew talking with Agent Morgan. Alison and I walk toward the Brew when the agents see us. Dr. Reid smiles at me and I wave at him as I smile back. Alison ignores them altogether. I'm still smiling when we walk inside.

"OMG. Hanna was so right." Alison says, smirking at me again.

"Shut up." I mumble as we find a table in the back.

* * *

Ten minutes later the girls have finally arrived. We all sit at the table together and all eyes are on Alison.

"So, what's this about?" Hanna asks, and Alison takes a deep breath.

"I got a text this morning and it had a picture attached." She starts, and Aria leans back in her chair, already knowing that this is going to be bad.

"What was it?" I ask, pretending not to notice the two agents who are now sitting in the front.

"The text said **'So many pretty blondes to choose from. They're going to keep dropping until I get the one I want. -A'** The picture attached has a blonde girl lying face down with blood on her head and she's wearing the same outfit that I was wearing the night I was attacked." She finishes, handing me her phone.

We pass the phone around in shock. We can't see the girl's face, but Ali is right. She has long blonde hair and she has blood on the back of head as if she was hit with something, just like Ali was. She is also wearing what appears to be the same outfit that Ali was wearing when she went missing, the same outfit that the dead girl in Ali's grave was wearing.

"That's not all. I know where she is. The room she's in, I recognize it. It's in Ravenswood, where A tried to kill Emily. There's a basement under the building. That's where she is." Alison tells us, and I get up.

"Let's go." I tell them, and they stare at me like I'm crazy.

"What? To Ravenswood? That's insane. What if A is waiting for us?" Hanna asks, and I roll my eyes.

"There's one thing A cares about more than revenge on Ali or whatever the hell it is he or she wants, and that's A. No way he or she is going to hang around and wait for someone to find the body and risk getting caught." I explain, and Aria stand up next to me.

"Guys, that girl might not be dead." Aria says, and that seems to make them consider it.

"Then we should tell the cops." Emily says, and Alison immediately tenses up.

"No way, Em. We can't involve the cops. Since when have they been any help? Besides, they'll mark it off as a crime scene before we can look around." I tell her, and she sighs.

"Fine. We go there, see if she's still alive, call an ambulance if she is and search the building if she isn't." Hanna says, and we all head out.

* * *

**Spencer Reid's POV  
**

"What do you think that was all about?" Morgan asks and I shrug.

"I don't know, but if I had to guess I would say they're not going to get their nails done." I deduct as we watch the girls getting into Spencer's car from the window.

"I think we should follow them. They looked pretty freaked and Hotch did say for us to look out for any unusual behavior." Morgan suggests, and I stand up to follow him.

"We'll just follow them to see what they're up to and if we think something illegal is going on we'll bust them for it." Morgan says, pulling out his phone.

"Let Hotch know what we're doing." I tell him, and I hope like hell that Spencer isn't getting herself into anything dangerous.


	8. Trust

**Spencer Hastings's POV**

"Hurry up, Spenc." Hanna urges from the backseat and I resist the urge to snap at her.

"I am going as fast as I can, Han." I tell her, focusing on the road.

"I can't help but feel like this is a trap..." Aria says, and though part of me feels the same, I know we need to do this.

"We've been through this Aria. A is not going to be there. Besides, there would be five of us and one of it." Alison promises, but it seems to do little to calm Aria down.

"Yeah, but simply outnumbering him, her, or it wouldn't do us much good if he, she, or it has a gun." Emily reminds her, and the car becomes quiet.

"Okay, we're here..." I announce, pulling up to the building where Emily was nearly sawed in half.

"Let's do this." Alison whispers, and I can hear the nervousness in her voice.

We all get out of the car and slowly make our way toward the building. We stop at the door and just stare at each other. The door is open slightly but there doesn't seem to be anyone around. Gathering all of my courage, I reach out and push the door open. All eyes are on me as I walk through the door. I try calling out to see if anyone is here, but I get no answer, so I continue.

"Okay, Ali... Lead the way." I tell her, and she takes the lead.

She leads down several halls and down a flight of stairs until we come to a grey metal door. She reaches out for the door knob and I grab her wrist.

"Wait. This seems way too easy. I mean, the door wasn't even locked." I warn her, but she shakes her head.

"That girl's fate could be in our hands, Spenc." She reminds me, and I back up.

She opens the door and we are greeted by darkness. One by one, we begin to descend the wooden stairs, holding on to the wall for support. Once we reach the bottom, Alison finds the light switch and flips it on. No body. There is no one else here.

"Where is she?" Hanna asks, and now I am really worried.

"A must have moved her. This is a trap." Aria says, panic starting to take over.

"What is that? Is that blood?" Emily asks, and we all move toward the spot she is staring at.

I approach the spot on the floor and lean down to get a better look. There is a very small puddle of a dark red substance.

"I think so. She was definitely hit here." I tell them, and Alison pulls out her phone to look at the picture again.

* * *

**Spencer Reid's POV**

"This is where she was laying in the picture. A must have brought her down here, whacked her, sent us that picture, and then took her body." I hear one of the girls say as Morgan and I quietly approach the metal door.

"We need to get out of here. I think Aria's right. This is a set up, for what though I'm not sure. I don't understand why A would take the body..." Spencer's voice echoes from the room.

"To bury her. Think about it. It fits the pattern. Someone tried to kill me by hitting me in the back of my head with a rock then my mother buried me. That same night a girl wearing my exact same outfit was bashed in the head and buried in the same spot that my mom had buried me..." One of the girls starts, and Spencer cuts her off.

"A's taking the body back to Rosewood to bury it in your back yard." Spencer finishes in a rush, and I hear the girls moving quickly up the stairs.

"FBI." Morgan states, holding up his badge as we step out of the darkness.

The girls freeze in their steps and stare at us, shocked. Spencer and I lock eyes, and the look on her face makes me feel a little bad.

"What are you doing here?" Spencer asks me, and I lick my lips.

"We followed you. We were given orders to keep an eye on you girls and we saw you leave the Brew in a hurry, we knew something was up." I explain, and she seems upset.

"Look, there's been a murder. You need to get Rosewood now." Alison cuts in, showing us her phone.

Morgan pulls Alison and the girls to the side to question them and I motion for Spencer to come with me.

"Look, I'm sorry we had to follow you but it's good that we did. Spencer, you are an 18 year old girl, you shouldn't be chasing murderers on your own." I try to reason with her, and she looks offended.

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child, because I'm not. I wasn't trying to catch the killer, I was trying to save his victim and see if there was anything here that could help us figure out who's after Ali." She tells me, and I can't help but respect her bravery.

"You should have called the police. You should have called me. I told you, we are here to help you and your friends. Rosewood PD has about a million things that they would love to pin on you and your friends. Sneaking around isn't going to make you look less guilty." I tell her, and she rolls her eyes.

"I don't give a damn about Rosewood PD. The cops in Rosewood are a joke, I told you. I also told you that just because you guys are feds, doesn't mean I'm going to trust you. Believe me, I want to." She admits, looking at me seriously.

"And I want to trust you. I meant it when I said I care about you, Spencer. I want to help you, but I can't if you give me nothing to work with. You need to tell us everything you know." I say, and for a moment it almost seems like she's blushing.

"I'll tell you everything..." She promises, and I smile at her.

"Thank you." I offer, and she smiles back.

"We need to get the girls out of here and search the building. Rosewood PD is accompanying Hotch and the team to the Dilaurentis residence to check out the backyard. Once they've finished there, they'll be coming here to pick up the girls for questioning and analyze the crime scene." Morgan informs me, and I nod to him.

* * *

**Spencer Hastings's POV**

"We need to tell them everything. Starting with The Jenna Thing." I announce as we leave the building.

Alison, Aria, Emily, and Hanna all turn to me with surprise.

"What? No way!" Alison yells, and I take a deep breath before continuing.

"Look, these guys... They aren't like the police in Rosewood. They can help us." I try, but Alison isn't budging.

"I swear I'll deny everything." She threatens, and I shake my head.

"Go ahead. It'll be your word against ours." I remind her, and she looks to the other girls for back up, but they seem to be considering my words.

"Ali, she's right. It's time to end this. We can't let another innocent girl die because of our mistakes." Emily urges, and finally Alison seems to be thinking about it.

"Fine." She whispers, defeated.

"There's no one inside. So, who wants to start talking?" Agent Morgan asks, and Alison stands up.

"It's kind of a long story. To tell it all, we have to start a few months before I faked my death." She tells them, her voice shaking.

"We've got time." Reid tells her, catching my eyes.

"It all started with a prank. Alison caught someone spying on us one night when we were all getting dressed and she thought that it was Toby Cavanaugh, Spencer's boyfriend, but not at that time, and Ali... We wanted to get back at him. So, we went to his garage and through in a firecracker, not knowing that his sister was in there. The garage burned down and his sister lost her sight." I begin, and over the next hour we tell them everything.

We decide not to tell them that Aria and Alison had been romantically involved with Ezra, instead just telling them that they had been friends with him and that Wilden had been Board Shorts. We tell them about every single person we had ever suspected of being A, minus Ezra. We tell them about the threats A had made, the things we had gone through, everything.

When we were done, both agents were looking at us in a new light.

"You're gonna have to tell this to the rest of our team, and I know you may not be happy about it, but we are required to share what we know with Rosewood PD." Agent Morgan says, looking at us sympathetically.

"We can do that." Alison says, hesitantly.

"Alison, you should also know that your mom, once we find her, could be facing hard time." Reid tells her, and she nods silently.

"Do you think that she could be behind all of this?" I ask, and Reid nods.

"It's definitely a possibility. It's an even stronger possibility that she is an accomplice to all of this, protecting A." He answers me, and I wrap my arm around Alison.

The rest of the BAU arrives and we are escorted to black SUVs.

Agent Hotchner informs Reid and Agent Morgan to take us to the police station in Rosewood where we will be questioned. I overhear them talking about the body. We were right. It was buried right where we thought it would be, however there was no sign of the attacker. Hanna and I go with Reid. Alison, Emily, and Aria go with Agent Morgan.

* * *

**Spencer Reid's POV**

"So, Agent Reid, we've told you a lot about ourselves but all I know about you is how much Spencer loves you." Hanna says, leaning forward to get ab better look at Spencer and I in the front.

"Hanna! She means how much I love your work." Spencer clarifies, but I detect something else in her eyes and she seems a little flustered.

"Um, well... I grew up in Las Vegas." I offer, and Hanna's eyes widen.

"Oh my God, I have never been so jealous in my life. So are you, like, bad ass at poker?" She asks, smiling at me.

"Well, I'm pretty good." I tell her, and I can see Spencer laughing to herself.

"Come on, Spenc. Like you wouldn't kill to get out of this town." Hanna suggests, and Spencer clears her throat.

"FBI agent sitting right there, Han." She reminds her friend, and Hanna rolls her eyes.

"I'm sure he gets it, Spenc. He's been in Rosewood all of five minutes and I'm sure he's considered blowing his brains out at least twice." She jokes, making Spencer laugh.

"Actually, I kind of like it. Everything is so close. The people are friendly." I tell them, and Spencer smiles at me.

"I'm sure D.C. is a thousand times better." Spencer tells me, and I look over at her.

"You've never been?" I ask, and she shakes her head.

"I've never really been anywhere." She admits, and I feel a little bad for her.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Hanna is passed out in the back seat. Spencer seems to be thinking about something, and going by all that's happened today, it could be anything.

"So, are you married or anything?" She asks, and I'm surprised by her question.

"Um, no. I've never been married and this job doesn't leave much time for dating." I tell her, and she nod.s

"Seems... lonely." She tells me, looking out the window.

"What about you? Where's your boyfriend?" I ask, and her expression saddens a little.

"London. I think." She answers, and part of me thinks I should leave it at that, but I just can't.

"You think? You guys don't talk?" I ask, and she shakes her head.

"We talk. Just not that much lately. He up and left a couple weeks ago and he sends me letters every now and then. Last I knew he was in London and planning to come home soon. Can I tell you something?" She asks, and I nod.

"Of course. Tell me anything." I answer, and she takes a breath.

"Toby and I... The only thing that I have ever been absolutely sure about in my personal life is my relationship with Toby and how I feel about him... Until now. Lately, it just seems like he's distant, and I don't just mean when he leaves. Even when he's with me, he's not with me. Part of me knows that it's not his fault. He's gone through a lot lately, but a bigger part of me thinks that I should be the person he talks to about all of that. I should be the person helping him through it. He shouldn't have to leave the country to feel better." She confesses, and suddenly I realize something.

"Well, you know what they say. Sometimes good things have to fall apart so that even better things can fall together. I'm not saying I think your relationship is headed for a fall out, I just think that you should know... You're gonna be okay. You're strong, you're smart, you're beautiful. You're gonna go far." I promise her, not even thinking about it.

"Wow. Thank you." She says, and even though I'm supposed to be focusing on the road, I can't take my eyes off of hers.

"No problem." I tell her, focusing on the road again.

"You know, your job doesn't have to completely consume you. You are allowed to date, to have a personal life." She says, and I smile at her.

"Well, it's not so much that I don't have time, I mean that is an issue, but it's more of the fact that I don't have anyone to date. I'm not really the kind of guy most girls go for." I admit, and she seems genuinely surprised.

"What?! Are you kidding me? You're a young, handsome, smart, FBI agent. That's like the definition of what girls go for." She argues, and I feel myself blush a little.

"Thanks, but I'm sure a lot of people would disagree." I try, and her expression softens.

"You're insecure. I get that. I'm the same way, but I used to be worse. You should have met me before I met Alison. I couldn't even believe that someone like her would want to be friends with me. I was this tall, scrawny little kid with braces who everyone cheated off of and all the bullies flocked to when they got bored. Until I met Ali. When she gave me her **stamp of approval**, my whole life changed. No one dared mess with Ali's friends." She says, smiling as she thinks about Alison.

"She seems like a really good friend." I tell her, and she seems torn.

"It's complicated. I love Ali and I've always known that she loves me. She loves all of us, but she was not an easy person to be friends with. Sure, no one else was allowed to mess with us, but she was. She could be pretty brutal with her insults and judgments. She would defend you to the world, then make you feel bad about yourself. She isn't like that anymore though. I can honestly say that she is a good friend **now. **It just took someone tormenting her, bashing her head, her mom burying her alive, and having to go on the run for two years to make her see the error of her ways." Spencer explains, looking over at me.

"Some time, remind me to tell you all about my high school years." I tell her, offering her an encouraging smile.

* * *

**Spencer Hastings's POV**

The rest of the night is exhausting. We are questioned for hours. By the time we are finally cleared to go home, it is 3 a.m. One of the agents was nice enough to bring my car to me from Ravenswood. I am about to open my door when I hear Reid yelling for me.

"Spencer, wait up." He says, jogging over to me.

"Hey." I greet him, smiling for the first time since arriving at the police station.

"I'm sorry about this taking so long." He offers, and I shake my head.

"No need to apologize. I just hope you guys can actually help." I tell him, and he looks like he has something he wants to say, but for some reason won't.

"Well, I guess I'll let you get home." He says, and I reach out to grab his wrist.

He looks surprised and I pull him into a small hug. He wraps his arms around me and I smile into his shirt. We pull away and I look up at him with a new sense of hope.

"This is the first time in two years that I've actually felt safe. Don't let me down." I tell him, and he smiles back at me.

**A/N: I tried to make this chapter a little longer and put a little more focus on forming a closer relationship between Spencer and Spencer. Also, I won't give too many spoilers, but I will say there could be a kiss coming up. Maybe. ;)**


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